Swimming aid



April 9, 1963 s. s. CICCOTELLI 3,08

SWIMMING AID Filed March 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

5 amawmfieawm ATI'OR/VEKS April 9, 1963 s. s. CICCOTELLI 3,084,355

' SWIMMING AID Filed March 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .srmwv a. C/CCOTEZL/ Unite t This invention relates to a swimming or propulsion aid of a type that is to be mounted on the foot and which efficiently translates kicking movement into forward thrust.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus adapted to be mounted on the foot of a swimmer and characterized such that improved propulsion is attained without regard to the depth at which the swimming is accomplished.

Another object of the invention is to provide means adapted to be actuated by a foot whereby improved propulsion can be had through kicking strokes whether the kicking stroke is generally downwardly or upwardly and without regard to the depth at which swimming is to be accomplished.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description and drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a swimming device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a swimming aid of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the swimming aid; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a swimmer with means in accordance with this invention and indicating the action of blade members related to kicking directions.

Referring now to the drawings, the swimming or propulsion aid of this invention includes an essentially L- shaped member generally indicated by the numeral that is attached to a boot 12 or other means by which it can be supported on afoot. The L-shaped member 10 is attached by its corner 11 in any manner desired. For example, a bar (not shown) in the base of the boot can be provided and the L-member attached thereto rigidly. The L-shaped member is attached so that one of its arms 14 extends downwardly and the other arm 15 extends forwardly from the boot 12.

On the arm 14 that extends downwardly from the bottom of the foot, two blades 16 and 18 are pivotally supported at the inside edge of that arm by means of rods 16a and 18a respectively. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the blade members are generally rectangular and have a housing 2%} along the upper edge that freely receives the rods. The forwardly extending arm 15 of the L-shaped member 10 also has two blades 24 and 26 supported by rods 24a and 264: respectively extending through that arm. The end blade members 18 and 26 in each of the pairs of blades shown is supported a short distance from the end of its particular arm. The rods are usually retained fixed relative to arms 14 and 15 by bushings 27 that tightly receive those rods.

As above noted, each blade member has a housing along its upper surface or edge adapted to receive a rod whereby each blade is rotatably or pivotally mounted on the L-shaped member 10. Accordingly, each blade is free to rotate in front of its supporting arm, or within the L-shaped member, its rotation being limited by coming to rest against the arm that supports it. In order to provide quicker blade action in changing from the trailing po sition to the thrust position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the blade member on each of the arms towards the corner 11 of the L-shaped member 10 is smaller, both as to width and length, than the other blade member on that arm. This is a consideration that has been discovered through actual tests to be necessary so that water can effectively act on both blades rather than being atent O blocked by the leading blades as might happen if both blades were of equal size. Generally, the inner blades are about 1% inches in width while the outer blade on each arm is approximately 2 /2 inches wide. The usual blade length is on the order of 11 inches.

The considerations set forth in my copending application Serial No. 84,053, filed January 23, 1961, concerning materials of construction, friction minimization, concentration of blade weight as close to its supporting rod as possible and the like are equally applicable in my present invention. In addition, the L-shaped member 10 should be of as light weight material as possible consistent with the avoidance of undue bending. Of course, that member advantageously is streamlined to facilitate passage through the water and to minimize drag effects.

In operation with the propulsion aid mounted as shown in FIG. 4, the blade action to achieve propulsion is as follows: Kicking motion traces an arcuate path whether the general direction of kicking is up or down. When kicking downwardly, the blades 16 and 18 on arm 14 close against that arm as shown on foot 30 in FIG. 4. The spacing of blades 18 and 26 a short distance from the ends of the arms 14 and 15 permits the arms to support those blades in the thrust position. The other two blades 24 and 26 which are on arm 15 are subject, relative to the water, to the same angle of force that acts on blades '16 and 18. However, their plane of support is substantially perpendicular to that of blades 16 and 18. Accordingly, blades 24' and 26 respond by trailing, since water passes by them and prevents seating against the supporting arm 15.

The position of the blades when the kicking motion is generally up is shown on foot 32 in FIG. 4. In that instance, blades 24 and 26 seat on arm 15 and provide thrust by moving or pushing against the water while blades 16 and 18 trail. The trailing blades, of course, provide minimum drag. It is thus apparent that the structure provides thrust to the user during both major strokes of the feet, thereby making the swimming aid double acting.

From the foregoing discussion and description, it is apparent that the present invention provides a unique advance in swimming aids. The double acting structure, in addition to providing thrust during both of the kicking strokes, is further advantageous in that it provides a marked increase in efficiency, acceleration and control.

While the invention has been described with regard to one specific embodiment, it will be apparent that changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a swim flipper to be mounted on a foot and which is designed for swimming with an arcuate kicking motion, comprising a boot, a first bar attached at one of its ends at said boot and extending forwardly of said boot, a second bar attached at one of its ends at said boot and extending downwardly from said boot, a blade member having a major plane and supported pivotally near the free end of said first bar and a blade member having a major plane and supported pivotally near the end of said second bar, each of said blade members being sup ported such that its major plane extends outwardly from each side of the bar supporting it.

2. A swim flipper in accordance with claim 1 in which two biade members are pivotally supported by each bar and the blade members on each bar are spaced from one another so that in a closed position against the bar they define an enlarged rectangular surface.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2. in which the blade member on each bar which is closer to the boot 3 than the other blade member on that bar is smaller as 805,672 to length and width than said other blade member. 1,341,904 2,395,844 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,557,367

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 805,525 Bullock Nov. 28, 1905 358,001

Samms Nov. 28, 1905 McGowan Ian. 19, 1932 Bufkin Mar. 5, 1946 Wenke June 19, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 1, 1905 

1. IN A SWIM FLIPPER TO BE MOUNTED ON A FOOT AND WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR SWIMMING WITH AN ARCUATE KICKING MOTION, COMPRISING A BOOT, A FIRST BAR ATTACHED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS AT SAID BOOT AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF SAID BOOT, A SECOND BAR ATTACHED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS AT SAID BOOT AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BOOT, A BLADE MEMBER HAVING A MAJOR PLANE AND SUPPORTED PIVOTALLY NEAR THE FREE END OF SAID FIRST BAR AND A BLADE MEMBER HAVING A MAJOR PLANE AND SUPPORTED PIVOTALLY NEAR THE END OF SAID SECOND BAR, EACH OF SAID BLADE MEMBERS BEING SUPPORTED SUCH THAT ITS MAJOR PLANE EXTENDS OUTWARDLY FROM EACH SIDE OF THE BAR SUPPORTING IT. 